EA Executive Clarifies "Microtransactions In All Games" Comment

[oldtaku]

'Clarified' my ass. He said what he meant, the test balloon got shot down, now they're retrenching.

 

[Kargathia]

so all mobile games will have them? well as i dont play any mobile games and from what i hear thats the standard business model all i can say is meh

however he didnt say that all 'proper' games (my words tbh) wont have them. and by "extensions" what does he mean? actual DLC/Expansions or slightly larger chunks of MTs?

He most likely means you'll be paying so much even they can't pretend it's a amall transaction, let alone "micro".

Also, don't know why people are flipping shit at the phrasing ?extensions". I mean is that not what standard DLC is? An extension of the game?

I mean my goodness, it's like EA can't even scratch their own ass without putting people into an uproar...

Experience teaches us so far that generally if there's a new fancy word in town, it means you're getting shafted real soon. I can't really blame people for being somewhat mistrustful of him not using perfectly fine, already existing words like "expansion pack", and "DLC".

Also, chances are EA is triggering pavlov reflexes - hell, I already merely read "EA says..." in a title, and expect something horribly stupid, disrespectful, and plain greedy to follow in the second part of the sentence - and I'm disturbingly often right.

Maybe they get more flak than they -strictly speaking- deserve, but that's differentiating between "very very much" and "very very very much".

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

Also, chances are EA is triggering pavlov reflexes...

Well they are for me.

EA, you really need to clean up your image, My recommendations include:

1) Firing most of your upper management.

2) A flamethrower.

 

[thesilentman]

"We are building into all of our games the ability to pay for things along the way; to get to a higher level, to buy a new character; to buy a truck or gun or whatever it might be," Jorgensen said. "And consumers are enjoying and embracing that way of business."

I have a clean record on the escapist and at the risk of ruining that record I'm going to say this anyway. This man can shove a dragon dildo so far up his own arse I hope he can taste it.

Sell me hats or minipets or pretty dresses or whatever cosmetic items you want to in the form of MTs if I didn't pay you full price for your game. But fuck you for even a second if you expect me to pay you for power in a game that I paid any money up front for. Especially if it's a MP game. And all of your games have MP, EA.

A statement like this really grills me. It's like he has zero respect for his own customers and claiming that we like this is honest proof he doesn't give a shit enough to even look at what people are saying about it.

...And we have a winner for strongest thread response. Who here is with me to officially send this response to EA?

*Crickets*

[small]That avatar's hypnotizing me. I must resist... Seriously man, nice avatar.[/small]

*Crickets*

No? Okay... *Sniff*[sub]There goes my plan...[/sub]

OT- They cannot be serious at all. At all. Do they even realize what they're saying here? Basically translates into, "MOAR MONIEZ!!".

No EA, we've had enough of you and most of your triple AAA 'partners in crime' trying to steal the hard earned money that we have. We also won't take shitty excuses for DRM, and the fact that your quality/quantity ratio is screwed up.

Mark my words, the day that they introduce this into my PC and console games is when I officially call it quits with most AAA titles.

Just to be clear, making games free? Fine, awesome even. Microtransactions? Eh, nothing bad. EA microtransactions? GODDAMMIT IT ALL TO HELL!! And then we have follow the leader syndrome...

 

[Strazdas]

Ah..... the gloriuos "extensions"..... the things that used to be called Patches and were free.....

Hmm... free mobile games, huh?

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ea.games.meinfiltrator_na&feature=search_result

do any of those games seem free?

I guess his concept of "free" is just like his use of the word "all"

I dont play mobile games si i wasnt aware of this, bloody....... i wouldnt pay that much for some PC games they are asking for these mobile games.....

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

"We are building into all of our games the ability to pay for things along the way..."

"I made a statement in the conference along the lines of 'We'll have microtransactions in our games,' and the community read that to be 'all games,' and that's really not true,"

Uhuh. Totally. You should probably stop talking now, Jorgensen.

 

[Valkrex]

Ugh... When I thought my opinion of EA couldn't possibly sink any lower...

 

[NiPah]

This thread is going right about where I thought it would go...

Anywho, glad to see he made that clarification to his former statement, at least I'll have less worry of the inclusion of it in future console titles.

Also, don't know why people are flipping shit at the phrasing ?extensions". I mean is that not what standard DLC is? An extension of the game?

I mean my goodness, it's like EA can't even scratch their own ass without putting people into an uproar...

Mate you do know having the CFO make a blanket statement about including DLC into every game to the point where it affects how the game is played (IE buying higher levels, new characters) will put people into an uproar. Once more this is from a company where PR is shit, and already has a black eye with many gamers due to their handling of online sales, DRM, studio closing, ect. Don't act like this is just EA scratching their ass, they're taking a shit and not many people were happy about it.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Face it EA, no matter how hard you try to look good, you're going to always be thought of as baby eating, seal punching, goose stepping, money grubbing, devil worshiping, bad guys. Trying to throw water on that fire is only make it worse now. Mind as well fire the PR department and save some money since their job is hopeless.

 

[Tortilla the Hun]

This thread is going right about where I thought it would go...

Anywho, glad to see he made that clarification to his former statement, at least I'll have less worry of the inclusion of it in future console titles.

Also, don't know why people are flipping shit at the phrasing ?extensions". I mean is that not what standard DLC is? An extension of the game?

I mean my goodness, it's like EA can't even scratch their own ass without putting people into an uproar...

Mate you do know having the CFO make a blanket statement about including DLC into every game to the point where it affects how the game is played (IE buying higher levels, new characters) will put people into an uproar. Once more this is from a company where PR is shit, and already has a black eye with many gamers due to their handling of online sales, DRM, studio closing, ect. Don't act like this is just EA scratching their ass, they're taking a shit and not many people were happy about it.

Not sure if we're reading the same article here...

Yes, he made a blanket statement, and this was him changing that statement. And I recall him referring to those "extensions" as "premium services and add-ons", not these paying to win micro-transactions. Furthermore, please stop bringing in those tired old points, that's not what this is about. It's him making a statement, and him making a poor, sloppy change of it for the better. That's it. Nothing more. For crying out loud, it's like trying to take a picture with my grandmother at Christmas, but then she just keeps going on about how I accidentally vacuumed her Mittens' tail even though it's completely irrelevant to the situation and entirely outdated...

I didn't know he was under the couch, Meredith!!

 

[NiPah]

Mate you do know having the CFO make a blanket statement about including DLC into every game to the point where it affects how the game is played (IE buying higher levels, new characters) will put people into an uproar. Once more this is from a company where PR is shit, and already has a black eye with many gamers due to their handling of online sales, DRM, studio closing, ect. Don't act like this is just EA scratching their ass, they're taking a shit and not many people were happy about it.

Not sure if we're reading the same article here...

Yes, he made a blanket statement, and this was him changing that statement. And I recall him referring to those "extensions" as "premium services and add-ons", not these paying to win micro-transactions. Furthermore, please stop bringing in those tired old points, that's not what this is about. It's him making a statement, and him making a poor, sloppy change of it for the better. That's it. Nothing more. For crying out loud, it's like trying to take a picture with my grandmother at Christmas, but then she just keeps going on about how I accidentally vacuumed her Mittens' tail even though it's completely irrelevant to the situation and entirely outdated...

I didn't know he was under the couch, Meredith!!

Clearly this is what this is about, you don't understand why people are in an uproar and yet you didn't notice when I quoted directly from Blake Jorgensen:

"We are building into all of our games the ability to pay for things along the way; to get to a higher level, to buy a new characters; to buy a truck or gun or whatever it might be," says Blake Jorgensen, EA's CFO. "And consumers are enjoying and embracing that way of business."

It was quoted in this article and the previous one because it was the reason people were angry. I mean sure most companies would be forgiven for a poorly worded statement from one of their heads, but this is EA, which is why their previous piss poor PR comes into play when getting angry.

 

[Tortilla the Hun]

*snip*

But that's the thing, people are still angry about those words, that business model that he announced, when in this current article he's quite clearly saying that's not the way they're gonna go. They're arguing something that is no longer relevant. Yes, you did directly quote the man, but that was in regards to the former plan, the one that is being scrapped as he states and is being replaced by the one wherein the only micro-transactions to be had will be for their mobile games. People are in uproar over something that was announced to be not the course of action anymore. So yes, I did notice your outdated quote, and no, I don't understand why people are still in uproar for reasons specified above.

 

[squid5580]

EA's incompetence is only matched by its evilness. At least Activision is content to release yearly Call of Duty sequels and stay in their little niche. EA somehow manages to fuck up everything they touch.

I find it hard to hate activision because these days it never really does anything wrong, or insults customers or whatever. It just kinda sits their printing money for itself, which I can't fault it for really. When the COD sales slow down they might throw some of their giant money pile at a new engine or something.

It's funny because I blame Acti-Blizzard for the mess we find ourselves in these days. Well not all of it but a good chunk. They were the ones who decided to sell a skin for a mount for $25 in a game that they charge $15 a month to play. That sold millions. You mean to tell me that other companies didn't take notice when they got away with selling horse armor for 25 bucks in a subscription based game?

I was more focusing on the CoD side of things to be honest, I don't know much of the Activendizzard dealigns with MMO's and shit dude, I don't do MMO's unfortuneately.

However in the situation you mentioned I can't really blame them for that, if people are dumb enough to pay it I'd do the exact same thing in that situation and milk the hell out of it. I more blame the companies that copy them with overpriced DLC, undeveloped yearly sequels and no real imagination to new titles.

How can you not fault Acti-Blizzard but fault all the rest for trying to take a slice of the pie? I struggle to fault any of them at this point. People keep handing them money and they exist to take money.

 

[NiPah]

*snip*

But that's the thing, people are still angry about those words, that business model that he announced, when in this current article he's quite clearly saying that's not the way they're gonna go. They're arguing something that is no longer relevant. Yes, you did directly quote the man, but that was in regards to the former plan, the one that is being scrapped as he states and is being replaced by the one wherein the only micro-transactions to be had will be for their mobile games. People are in uproar over something that was announced to be not the course of action anymore. So yes, I did notice your outdated quote, and no, I don't understand why people are still in uproar for reasons specified above.

I understand your point, but the reason people are still angry is that they don't believe him. Like I said PR plays a huge part in this whole episode, most wouldn't put it past EA to blatantly lie to save face, while sticking with the previously stated policy.

 

[FalloutJack]

Snicker

Snack

Down with the vorpal blades, you two. It cuts just a hair too quick.

We are, right here and now, apparently calling into question EA's honesty and ability to change their business practices.

*MEGA-SNERK*

I'm so sorry, Mortis! I really am! But I mean...I've been watching quite a few of these for a while and the pattern I recognize is that they're not gonna be turning over a new leaf. You have a little faith and I understand that, but I don't see it and you two back-and-forthing about it doesn't change MY mind, at least.

 

[NiPah]

Snicker

Snack

Snock

Touché oh man of great wisdom, I'll agree to disagree and devote my time thinking about which anime I should watch next.

 

[V da Mighty Taco]

Backpaddling so hard you can go up a waterfall

I'm assuming that it goes something like this...

 

[Abomination]

This isn't bad news. Paradox has been doing stuff like this for ages, and they don't get as much hate as EA. EA has been doing lots of stupid stuff, but at least they're trying to fix there reputation.

That's probably because in paradoxs case it seems to be cosmetic things or stuff that expands/adds the base gameplay of the games they make(prime examples of the latter being Sword of Islam and The Republic for Crusader Kings 2). Mind you I can't speak for the games they don't make themselves as I've little experience with those.

The thing is Paradox makes a game then sees where they can improve upon it depending on customer feedback, then they make an expansion/extension and sell it as DLC.

EA makes a game while already knowing what they're going to add as DLC and charge people for from the get-go.

Both are different business strategies. EA is predictive and Paradox is reactive. If all goes to plan then EA can make a boatload more than Paradox ever could but Paradox is playing the "cautious" marketing move. They're strange mirrors of each other. EA is risky with its marketing and safe with its games whereas Paradox is frequently risky with its titles and safe with its marketing.

Oh, and their PR departments are complete opposites too. Paradox seems to have rational and socially aware humans whereas EA has either non-sentient corporate drones or fat-cat "why can't poor people just buy more money?" dickbags.